Abergavenny to Devils Bridge across the Brecon Beacons and Cambrian Mountains
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert Nick Carthew - (MRA Master)
Last edit: 17-06-2022
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Verdict
Duration
7h 57m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
270.56 km
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RouteXpert Review Nestled between seven hills close to the Welsh/English border, Abergavenny truly is a 'Gateway To Wales' and an ideal place to start your journey from. Abergavenny can trace it's roots back to 4000 BC when neolithic man was hunting wild boar and deer. Skip forward 4000 years and the Romans arrive and then in 1087 AD the Normans built a castle and the town grew up alongside to support it and be protected by it. The castle is just 100m from the start of this route.
Leave Abergavenny on the A40 and it's just a short ride before you cross over the River Usk and then the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. The roads narrow now as you head deeper into the Beacons passing reservoirs and following wooded valleys towards Merthyr Tydfil where I have suggested a coffee break.
Just 5 minutes after your coffee and you will cross over the Llwyn-on dam that holds back the water from the Llwyn-on reservoir. From here you'll climb high up on to the open moorland that has 360° views to enjoy. You will have 95km of this fantastic open scenery to enjoy as you zigzag your way North and South and on to Llandovery. Here you will find a true bikers cafe called the West End Cafe. It's a great place to stop for a coffee or snack and meet up with fellow bikers.
You can choose to split your tour in two here as there is plenty of accomodation in town and a camping site just a few hundred metres along the main road.
From the West End Cafe, the route heads North, away from the Brecon Beacons and into the Cambrian mountains. As you leave Llandovery there is adventure in every direction, but if you want wilderness and quiet roads then you need to head North.
Cross over the River Towy and ride into the upper Towy valley, tracing the route of the river as it heads upstream. The first 10km is relatively easy compared to what comes later and it is after the town of Rhandirmwyn that the fun really begins. Cross over the Towy again via a box truss bridge and shortly after the gradient becomes more constant, gaining height as the road climbs up towards the Llyn Brianne reservoir. To view the dam and slipway it is a very short detour at RP 30 and worth doing for the viewpoint both into the reservoir and down the slipway to the hydro plant at the base. Back onto the route and soon the road starts to twist as it follows the edge of the reservoir. It would not be strange to not see another vehicle for the 15km-20km distance of the road as it weaves around. Not only is the Llyn Brianne reservoir the largest body of water in South Wales, I would argue that it is the most beautiful of all Welsh reservoirs as it has a more natural look with steep sides and trees down to the waterline.
Next comes the notorious Devil's Staircase, a narrow section of steep downhill road with two hairpin bends. The road surface is not particularly good so caution is required. The road crosses over the River Irfon and follows the spectacular Irfon Valley with the river to your right and the towering rocky ridge known as Esgair Irfon to your left. If it's a warm day and you fancy some wild swimming, there's a spot called Wolf's Leap at RP 34 that has some deeper pools.
Heading out of the valley the scenery changes to woodlands and pasture as you make your way to the Elan Valley.
There are many reasons to visit Elan Valley which forms part of the rugged Cambrian Mountains. Elan is a beautiful and unspoilt area made even more compelling by the dams and reservoirs which together create a wonderful, living landscape. The views are stunning and you are never far away from points of interest. Elan is a haven for wildlife, one of the most important sites in Wales and there is always something to warm the heart throughout the year. You will marvel at the engineering enterprise of the Victorians in building the dams and the railways which served their construction. The visitors centre just before the first dam and reservoir is a great place to further your knowledge and stop for a coffee before riding one of the most scenic roads in Wales.
The 6 dams, reservoirs and 73 mile aqueduct of the Elan Valley were built a hundred years ago to supply desperately needed clean water to Birmingham. It was an epic feat of civil engineering set within an area of outstanding scenic beauty. As you breathe in the tranquillity of Elan it can be hard to imagine that this has been a place with such long and varied history. 4,000 years ago Stone Age people made Elan their home within the forests of oak, birch and hazel. Later arrivals included Celts and Romans. More recently Elan's resources have attracted mining interests. Coming up to date of course Elan's dams and reservoirs continue to provide water to significant populations.
The Devil's Bridge is next on the list to visit, but just before you reach it, stop for a photo under the King George III Jubilee Arch. This rubble stone Gothic arch was built over the old turnpike road, about one and a half miles from Devil's Bridge, in 1809-10 for Thomas Johnes, owner of the nearby Hafod Estate, to celebrate the golden jubilee of King George III in 1810. The road was then the main road from Aberystwyth to London and it ran through the arch until only a couple of years ago.
The Devil’s Bridge has been a tourist attraction for over 100 years. Writers such as George Borrow visited here and wrote about it’s rugged beauty before the top bridge had even been built! The main attraction are the three bridges built one on top of the other. There are no other bridges built like this in the world and worth seeing for yourselves. The sight of the original bridge soaring over a deep narrow gorge apparently led to its name of Devil's Bridge, also known as Monk's Bridge, traditionally thought to have been built in medieval times by the Cistercian monks of Strata Florida Abbey (founded 1164). It was certainly in existence in 1188, when Giraldus Cambrensis and Baldwin of Forde (c.1125-90, Archbishop of Canterbury 1185-90) were travelling through Wales to recruit crusaders.
In 1753, the county authorities paid for a second stone bridge to be constructed above the first. In 1901, a flat bridge of steel girders was built over top of the whole structure, raising the total height of the bridge by 2.1m. The new abutments were carried down to bedrock through the supporting structures of the two earlier bridges.
Devil's Bridge Falls is a spectacular waterfall attraction at Devils Bridge, It is one of the 'Must See' natural features in Wales. The waterfalls are set deep within the ancient wooded gorge and have attracted many thousands of visitors since the 18th century. Devil's Bridge Waterfalls can be classified as a segmented or tiered falls with five major drops and intervening cascades that add up to a 91 m total drop, which is among the highest in Wales.
Just around the corner from here is a campsite and the end of this route.
I Know that you will enjoy it and I have included links below for campsites at Abergavenny, Llandovery and Devil's Bridge.
Links 
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Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Wales
About this region
Wales (Welsh: Cymru [ˈkəm.rɨ] (listen)) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in 2011 of 3,063,456 and has a total area of 20,779 km2 (8,023 sq mi). Wales has over 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of coastline and is largely mountainous with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate.
Welsh national identity emerged among the Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's death in 1282 marked the completion of Edward I of England's conquest of Wales, though Owain Glyndŵr briefly restored independence to Wales in the early 15th century. The whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism, exemplified in the early 20th century by David Lloyd George, was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party. Welsh national feeling grew over the century; a nationalist party, Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925 and the Welsh Language Society in 1962. Established under the Government of Wales Act 1998, the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament, formerly known as the National Assembly for Wales) is responsible for a range of devolved policy matters.
At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, development of the mining and metallurgical industries transformed the country from an agricultural society into an industrial nation; the South Wales Coalfield's exploitation caused a rapid expansion of Wales' population. Two-thirds of the population live in South Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and the nearby valleys. Now that the country's traditional extractive and heavy industries have gone or are in decline, the economy is based on the public sector, light and service industries, and tourism. In livestock farming, including dairy farming, Wales is a net exporter, contributing towards national agricultural self-sufficiency.
Wales closely shares its political and social history with the rest of Great Britain, and a majority of the population in most areas speaks English as a first language, but the country has retained a distinct cultural identity. Both Welsh and English are official languages; over 560,000 Welsh-speakers live in Wales, and the language is spoken by a majority of the population in parts of the north and west. From the late 19th century onwards, Wales acquired its popular image as the "land of song", in part due to the eisteddfod tradition. At many international sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, Wales has its own national team. At the Olympic Games, Welsh athletes compete for the UK as part of a Great Britain team. Rugby union is seen as a symbol of Welsh identity and an expression of national consciousness.
Read more on Wikipedia
Welsh national identity emerged among the Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's death in 1282 marked the completion of Edward I of England's conquest of Wales, though Owain Glyndŵr briefly restored independence to Wales in the early 15th century. The whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism, exemplified in the early 20th century by David Lloyd George, was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party. Welsh national feeling grew over the century; a nationalist party, Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925 and the Welsh Language Society in 1962. Established under the Government of Wales Act 1998, the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament, formerly known as the National Assembly for Wales) is responsible for a range of devolved policy matters.
At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, development of the mining and metallurgical industries transformed the country from an agricultural society into an industrial nation; the South Wales Coalfield's exploitation caused a rapid expansion of Wales' population. Two-thirds of the population live in South Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and the nearby valleys. Now that the country's traditional extractive and heavy industries have gone or are in decline, the economy is based on the public sector, light and service industries, and tourism. In livestock farming, including dairy farming, Wales is a net exporter, contributing towards national agricultural self-sufficiency.
Wales closely shares its political and social history with the rest of Great Britain, and a majority of the population in most areas speaks English as a first language, but the country has retained a distinct cultural identity. Both Welsh and English are official languages; over 560,000 Welsh-speakers live in Wales, and the language is spoken by a majority of the population in parts of the north and west. From the late 19th century onwards, Wales acquired its popular image as the "land of song", in part due to the eisteddfod tradition. At many international sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, Wales has its own national team. At the Olympic Games, Welsh athletes compete for the UK as part of a Great Britain team. Rugby union is seen as a symbol of Welsh identity and an expression of national consciousness.
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Route Collections in this region 5 days through Wales on roads less travelled
As the title suggests, this is a 5 day tour through Wales on 'roads less travelled'. Each daily route has spectacular scenery through sometimes, dramatic landscapes. The tour visits some of Wales' well known sights and some not so well known. It travels across open moorland, deep valleys, the mountains of Snowdonia National Park and the beautiful countryside and coast. You will travel over historic bridges and see historic buildings and sights. This truly is an adventurous tour that I am certain you will enjoy.
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Top 10 Downloaded UK routes by RouteXpert Nick Carthew
Hello and welcome to this collection of the Top 10 MyRoute app downloaded routes in the UK.
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be ridden.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelstory of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your email.
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be ridden.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelstory of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your email.
View Route Collection